1965 Chevy C10 - Punisher

Back In Black And Taking Names

Editor's note: In the last two issues, we've shown you how much hard work and talented craftsmanship went into building this creation and now we're happy to present you with the full feature. If you missed any part of the build, be sure to log on to truckinweb.com for a recap.

This truck may look like a shiny black show truck with big wheels, and it is. What it's not, is smoke and mirrors. This truck goes as good, if not better than it looks. Attending shows, you may go home with a Best of Show trophy, or if attending a sanctioned track day, you may go home with a Top 10 finish. Mike Dillon, General Manager of Richard Childress Racing, doesn't believe in "show, but no go", and for this reason, he dropped off a rusted, old '65 Chevy C10 to Jim Smith, of Street Customs and Restorations, in Mooresville, North Carolina. Jim was recruited to make the Chevy street-able, with a stance that looked good supporting 20/22-inch wheels, add a little more power, and it could only be one color, black. Talking with Mike, he laughed and said "the truck started out as a small truck project for me and my sons to cruise around in, but once the chassis was ordered and the engine arrived, well, it's not small anymore."

Arriving in one piece, the '65 Chevy was stripped down, chassis pulled from the cab, and the body set aside. A test fitment was done with the Jim Myer's Racing chassis and with a quick thumbs up, Jim Smith and John Dollard got to work creating one of the nation's finest C10s. In between the framerails lies a GM Performance Parts Ram Jet 502 with 502 hp and 565 lb-ft of torque, mated to a Tremec five-speed tranny. Dressing up the Ram Jet are Billet Specialties pulleys, Street and Performance chromed intake, and one-off air intake with dual filters. Street and Performance block-hugger headers and an MSD ignition give the big-block even more power. Huge Brembo brakes with six-piston calipers were bolted onto each corner to slow the truck from speed, and look impressive behind each custom Foose Nitrous Legend wheel. Rimz One, also in Mooresville, supplied the 20 and 22-inch wheels and wrapped them in BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tires. Even in primer, the C10 was looking the part of a track day warrior, but a little show never hurt anyone, and Jim and the Street Customs' team switched their focus to the body.

After removing the rusted areas and welding in new sheetmetal from LMC Truck, the rest of the body was given special attention. The cab floor was cut for extra tranny clearance, the old, rotted bed floor was scrapped, and the gas filler location was converted into a power antenna. Once the body was media-blasted, hours and hours of sanding and filling were completed before the Sherwin Williams black and red paint were applied. New trim completes the resto-mod-look and chromed bumpers keep the factory appearance. Continuing the factory look, Bruce Horkey's Wood and Parts wood planks and stainless stringers were stained and expertly installed in the bed. Replacing every single nut and bolt on the truck, the SCR team used Totally Stainless fasteners to add structural integrity and beauty in one fell swoop. A single hot-rod mirror was mounted up high so Mike can get a clear view of those he's just lapped. Capping off the body mods, a dual exhaust tip was cut into the body, right in front of the rear tire, and with the electronic cutouts, Mike can either have the unmolested roar of the big-block or a mellower rumble from his hot-rod truck.

Inside the doors, the cab was sprayed with Second Skin insulation material before it was painted to match. Making the cabin even quieter, Dynamat was laid down, as was new black cut-pile carpet, and new weatherstriping. A factory dash was treated to Classic Instrument gauges, Vintage Air A/C vents and controls, and a Kenwood DVD head unit. A Wilwood pedal assembly allows precise braking and shifting, and a Billet Specialties steering wheel keeps the steering inputs both comfortable and stylish. Finishline Interiors, also in Mooresville, built the seats and wrapped them in black and red leather. Simpson race harnesses are mounted to a bolted-in bar behind the plush seats and serve notice to those onlookers that this black beast means business. Also located behind the seats are two JL Audio subs and a JL Audio amp, supplied by Freeman's Car Stereo, that were installed in a stealthy enclosure.

All that was left to do was for Jim and his Street Customs and Restorations' crew to hand the keys to Mike and see how the ol' truck drove. A smoky burnout and an ear-to-ear grin later, the truck passed its maiden voyage and has since been driven to and fro many custom car and truck shows in the area. "It's amazing how well the truck handles, and that thing really goes with more than 500 hp", Mike excitedly tells us. Whether terrorizing the track, beating up unsuspecting people on the street, or winning shows, this truck can literally do it all and do it all very, very well. Using "Who are these guys?", as their shop motto, Jim Smith and his crew use their knowledge and skills of building muscle cars and race cars to exceed a customer's expectations. We're pretty sure after this truck build, the word will get out and their new slogan will have to read, "Yes, we're the guys that built the black C10 in Truckin'."